Fact Check: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 19’ Finale

B.J.
Penn has another chance to redeem himself against Frankie Edgar. |
Photo: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

B.J. Penn
likely has but a few pages left to pen in his mixed martial arts
odyssey.

The former two-division
Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder will make a third
run at one of two men to have beaten him twice when he battles
Frankie
Edgar in
“The Ultimate Fighter 19” Finale main event on Sunday at the
Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. It will serve as the first
appearance at 145 pounds for Penn, who once reigned over the UFC’s
lightweight and welterweight divisions.

Penn was at the height of his power as a lightweight when he first
encountered Edgar, a controversial decision loss at UFC 112 costing
him his 155-pound championship in April 2010. The Hawaiian has not
been the same since. He put together a 1-3-1 record in his ensuing
five appearances, including a more decisive defeat to Edgar in
their rematch and two lopsided setbacks against Nick Diaz and
Rory
MacDonald. Still, Penn remains one of MMA’s most complete and
respected competitors.

Edgar, meanwhile, went on to complete a memorable trilogy with
Gray
Maynard before relinquishing the lightweight crown in a
two-fight series with Benson
Henderson. A subsequent drop to 145 pounds was greeted by a
loss to champion Jose Aldo and
a unanimous decision victory over Charles
Oliveira. Edgar has not posted back-to-back wins since rattling
off five straight between July 19, 2008 and Aug. 28, 2010.

With the final chapter in the Edgar-Penn trilogy as the lure, here
are 10 facts surrounding “The Ultimate Fighter 19” Finale:

FACT 1: Only former welterweight champion Georges St.
Pierre (5:28:12) has spent more time competing inside the
Octagon than Penn’s five hours, three minutes and 51 seconds,
according to FightMetric data.